Yesterday, we chatted with outgoing reporter Ashley Hopko about covering the coronavirus pandemic, holding elected officials accountable, learning new beats and much more.

Hopko joined Tysons Reporter’s parent company Local News Now a year ago as part of the Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship. During her time reporting primarily for Tysons Reporter and our sister site Reston Now, she covered a range of stories, from taking the lead to create weekly profiles of local startups to interviewing teens about their startups and fundraisers.

When not reporting for the two sites, Hopko worked on a media project documenting the challenges Mexican journalists face, which won first place in the fellowship’s competition.

Today is her last day.

Listen below to the podcast, which was produced by Catherine Douglas Moran, Tysons Reporter’s editor. Due to the work from home arrangement, the audio was recorded during a phone call, so pardon the occasional scratchiness.

Here are the articles mentioned in the podcast:

• Looming Liquor Tax Increase Forces Falls Church Distillery to Scale Back
• Falls Church Distillers Making Hand Sanitizer to Minimize Shortage
• Fairfax NAACP President Talks Black Lives Matter Movement
• Alcorn Addressing Damage Concerns With Tysons Restoration Project

Here are some of Hopko’s many startup stories:

• From Fingerprints to Facial Features: Tysons Startup Looks to Streamline Identifications
• Founder Shares Local Startup Journey, Staying Active in Tysons
• Student Startup TeenServ Gains Traction With Local High Schools
• Tysons Startup Uses Artificial Intelligence to Help Non-Profits
• Tysons Startup Sud Stud Seeking Solution to Slippery Situations

Music in podcast courtesy Bensound.com